The past 10 years of Calgary mom Linda Levesque’s life have been trying.

But Levesque said the journey, which ended Wednesday with the sentencing of the last of her son’s killers, hasn’t just been fraught with pain.

“They have altered 10 years of our life, yes,” Levesque said of the three men who killed Daniel on June 29, 2008.

“They have altered that significantly,” Levesque said, after Sheldon Worme was sentenced to life in prison without parole for a minimum of 15 years.

“They haven’t really taken it away. We’ve had lots of good happen in the past 10 years as well. Some amazing people have been brought into our lives to help us through this journey. And, certainly, we’re changed, we’re changed significantly 10 years later.”

Daniel Levesque was killed in his home by three assailants on June 29, 2008.Calgary Police Service

The fact Levesque, through her faith, has been able to forgive the three men who brutally tortured her son in his Braeside home, has helped her survive that journey.

“I truly believe the words in the Lord’s Prayer to forgive those who have trespassed against us. I believe that forgiveness is our only choice if we want to move forward.

“It hopefully will free Sheldon and it certainly has freed me to not carry that burden of bitterness and anger.”

Levesque’s comment came minutes after Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Willie deWit accepted a joint Crown and defence sentencing submission for Worme, who last week pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Worme, now 34, along with Aaron Lee Stevens and Derek Campeau, decided to rob the victim in his home after being invited there to drink.

DeWit said the killing, in which the victim was tortured while his killers tried to get him to give up a bank card PIN, was particularly brutal.

“The fact that this all took place so the perpetrators could take a few hundred dollars made this more inexplicable,” the judge said.

“The victim in this case was completely innocent and unarmed.”

He noted Linda Levesque forgave Worme and the killer apologized for his actions.

“This type of forgiveness is very rare and very powerful,” deWit said.

For Levesque, Worme’s guilty plea in advance of what was supposed to be a retrial meant a lot.

“We’re grateful to be spared the agony of yet another trial,” she said.

“We hope that Sheldon’s time in custody will be restorative, that he will be prepared to manage his freedom when that day comes.”

Both Campeau and Stevens were convicted of manslaughter and handed lengthy prison terms.